Some bugs and missing features hurt the overall score, but this is the closest I've felt to actually being on the field.
Growing up I played HB for my school and I can finally say that a video game has let me relive some of those experiences. I'm not saying it's perfectly lifelike, it's still far easier and painless, but some of the instincts you use in real life actually help out in this year's game. There are three reasons why: 1. Player movement/control is drastically improved. 2. Your blockers actually block at the line of scrimmage and downfield. 3. It doesn't feel as scripted.
Seriously though, real life football instincts used in a video game? I say yes because I kind of felt like I was back out there following blocks, making quick cuts inside between the tackles, popping back outside, reading downfield blocks, picking angles... being aggressive, being patient, making quick decisions to get an extra yard and then covering up the ball and bracing for impact... You can even move the ball from arm to arm to keep it away from defenders by pressing the X button... Thinking like a HB will yield the best results... Letting plays develop is sometimes better than just gunning out of the backfield like you used to do; the new blocking A.I. actually allows for a called play to develop into something completely different after the ball is snapped. That's the way football happens in real life.
Why only an 8.5 then? There are a bunch of bugs right now... not gameplay killers, but stuff like misaligned cameras during extra point kicks and weird blocky player close ups after plays. Also, they took out the mini games... no more Option Dash or Bowling... I loved those modes... Looks like I have to buy back my copy of the 2010 version if I want to play them again.